Mechanism for the tripping or release of movable organs



L. BIRKIGT May l2, 1936.

MECHANISM FOR THE TRIPPING OR RELEASE OF MOVABLE ORGANS Filed July 16,. 1954 l i A Patented May 122,l 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEcHANIsM Fon THE TRIPPING on RELEASE oF MovABLE oRGANs In B 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to mechanisms for the tripping or release of movable organs subjected to the action of a high return or counter force, such as the movable part of a spring starter xfor internal combustion engines or the equivaalent, the carriage of a spring catapult, rams or tups for driving posts, and, in a general manner, all organs that are maintained by a catch in a given position against the action of an elastic system exerting on said organs a considerable effort tending to move them from said position.

The object of the present invention is to provide improvements to mechanisms of the type above referred to such as described in my U. S. J Patent No. 1,993,645, that is to say mechanisms in which the catch is actuated by an intermediate tripping member so arranged that its release causes the movable organ to be released, this intermediate element being automatically brought back into its locking position, in which it maintains the movable organ against the action of the elastic system acting thereon when said movable organ is itself brought intoengagement with said catch.

The improvements according to the present invention are intended to simplify these mechanisms and to render them more reliable.

According to the present invention, the mechanisms of the type above referred to are so devised that the intermediate member is connected in a positive manner with the catch so that the displacements imparted to said intermediate member when it is released are positively transmitted to the catch so as to produce the release thereof.

Other features of the present invention will result from the following detailed description thereof.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, given merely by y way of example, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of an improved mechanism according to the present invention, some parts being shown in section; i

Fig. 2 is a view at right angles to Fig. 1 some parts being also shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. The release mechanism shown in Fig. 1 is supposed, by way of example, to be applied to a spring starter for internal combustion engines which includes a rod I subjected to the action of a. spring 2, this rod being so connected with the 5g shaft of the engine to be started that when said elgium March 22, 1934 spring, which has been previously compressed, is released, its expansion causes rod I to move suddenly toward the left hand side of the figure, thus starting the engine.

The starter may further include means (not shown in the drawing) for returning the parts to their initial positions, that is to say for moving rod I toward the right hand side of the figure, thus compressing spring 2 until said rod is again locked by its engagement with catches 3.

The tripping mechanism comprises catches 3, which serve to lock rod I in the desired position against the action of spring 2, and an intrmediate member 4 carrying a secondary catch or pawl 5 subjected to the action of a spring 1, so that when said secondary catch 5 is disengaged from its notch I3, member 4 is caused to slide toward the right hand side of the figure by said spring 1. Control means 6 serve to move catch 5 away from notch I3.

According to the embodiment shown in the drawing, given by way of example, member 4 is connected to the catches by connecting rods I1 jointed, at their ends, with member 4 about a pin I8, and, at their other ends, with said catches 3 about pins I9 positioned at a suitable distance from the stationary axes 9 of the catches about which said catches pivot with respect to the frame.

Intermediate member 4 is movable in guides substantially parallel to the direction in which the rod I is to move. The latch member or the catch 5 is pivoted on sliding member 4 and is provided with a guide I5 which cooperates with a member I6 slidable with respect to the guide and forming a part of the control member 5, so that the sliding member 4 can move freely while leaving the catch 5 under control of the member-6. The latch member is urged to latching position by a spring 5.

Advantageousiy, pins 9, I8, and I9 are disposed in parallel relation to one another and at right angles to the direction of the movement of rod I.

It will be readily understood that with such an arrangement, when pin I8 moves forward or backward, the pins I9 in the ends of rods I1 will be drawn towards each other and consequently the catches 3 will be caused to pivot about said pins 9.

I may for instance, as shown in the drawing, so arrange the parts that pins I9 and the active ends of catches 3 (which cooperate with notch I4) that they are located on opposite sides of axes 9 respectively. Furthermore, when member 4 is in fi J the position corresponding to catch 5 being engaged in the notch I3 of rod I, rods I1 are in line with each other and maintain catches 3 engaged in the notches I4 of rod I.

When it is desired to operate the starter, the control m'ember 6 is moved downwardly, thereby withdrawing the catch 5 from the notch I3 and permitting the spring 1 to move the slide member 4 backward.

It will be readily understood that when member 4 moves in a backward direction, under the action of its spring l, the active ends of catches 3 are moved away from rod I, thus releasing said rod. It suffices to bring member 4 back into its initial position for returning said catches 3 to their initial positions, in which they are engaged in notches I4 of the rod I.

This is accomplished ln the following fashion. The restoring mechanism of the conventional type, after the device has operated, pushes therod I back past its initial position. When it reaches a certain point, the catch 5 will again engage in the notch I3. As the rod I is now released by the restoring mechanism and starts to move forward again under the action of spring 2, the engagement of the catch 5 will cause the sliding member 4 to move with the rod against the spring 1 and thereby to shift forwardly the pivot I8. This will spread apart the pins I9 and thereby will cause the ends of the catch members 3 to move towards each other and engage the rod I. The device is then locked in position for a further operation.

Of course, intermediate member 4, instead of engaging with rod I, might be locked in position by engaging with a stationary member, suitable means being then provided for automatically bringing back said intermediate member 4 into the positon in which it keeps catches 3 in the locked position.

As for the connection between catch 3 and intermediate member 4 it is not necessarily made in the specific manner above described by way of example.

In a general manner, while I have described what I deem to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the type described, which cornprises in combination, a stationary part, an organ movably carried by said stationary part, elastic means for urging said organ in a certain direction with respect to said part, at least one catch movably carried by said part adapted to engage said organ for maintaining it in a given position with respect to said part against the action of said elastic means, movable intermediate means positively connected to said-catch for bringing said catch into and out of engagement with said movable organ, controlling means for causing said intermediate means to bring said catch out of engagement with 'said movable organ, and means operative by said movable organ for automatically bringing said intermediate member back into the position in which it causes said catch to engage said movable organ when said organ, after having been released, is moved backwards past its initial position.

2. A device of the type described, which comprises in combination, a stationary part, an organ movably carried by said stationary part, elastic means for urging said organ in a certain position with respect to said lpart, at least one catch movably carried by said stationary part adapted to engage said organ for maintaining it in a given position with respect to said part against the action of said elastic means, movable intermediate means positively connected to said catch for bringing said catch into and out of engagement with said movable organ, elastic means for urging said intermediate means toward a position in which said catch is brought out of engagement with said movable organ, a second catch connected with said intermediate means and adapted to engage said movable organ for maintaining said intermediate means in the position in which said intermediate means maintains said rst mentioned catch in engagement with said movable organ, means for controlling said second mentioned catch so as to bring it out of engagement with said movable organ, and, elastic means for urging said second men- I.

tioned catch toward said movable organ, so that said second catch when said organ after having been released, is moved back past its initial position, engages said organ, and thereby when said organ is allowed to come back to said initial position, said second catch moves said intermediate means to the position in which said intermediate means causes said rst mentioned catch to engage said organ.

3. A- device df the type described which comprises, in combination, a stationary frame, a rod slidably mounted in said frame, elastic means for urging said rod in a certain direction with respect to said frame, at least one catch pivoted in said frame adapted to engage with said rod for maintaining it in a given position in said frame, against the action of said intermediate means, an intermediate member slidable in said frame in a direction parallel to said rod, a second rod jointed to said intermediate member and to said catch, so that said intermediate member is capable of bringing said catch into and out of engagement with vsaid rst rod, elastic means for urging said intermediate member in a direction to disengage said catch from said iirst rod, a second catch pivoted to said intermediate member and adapted to engage with said first rod for maintaining said intermediate member against the action of said second elastic means in the position in which it holds said iirst catch in engagement with said rod, and elastic means for urging said second catch towards said rod, so that said second catch, when said first rod, after having been released, is moved backward past its initial position, engages said iirst rod, and thereby when said rst rod is allowed to come back to said initial position, said second catch moves said intermediate means to the position in which said intermediate means causes said rst catch to engage said rst rod.

LOUIS BIRKIGT. 

